Such an apparatus is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,434.
This apparatus of the prior art is used to encase a meat mass for purpose of producing sausages. In this apparatus the feed means are formed by a pump and the channel is formed by a telescopic tube system. Displacement of the meat mass through the channel takes place by a combined action of a pump and telescopic tube system. Fixed to the tube system is a cutting device which makes a cut through the meat mass. During a return stroke of the telescopic tube the casing is filled with meat mass. At the end of the return stroke the clamping device fixed to the telescopic tube is situated at the location of the cut, where the clamping device arranges a clamp or clamps without being obstructed by sinews or other tough pieces of meat mass, thus forming a front and rear part of a sausage.
A number of drawbacks is associated with this apparatus. The size of the portions is determined by the stroke length of the telescopic tube as well as by the diameter of the telescopic tube. Modification of at least one of the two parameters is necessary in order to adapt the size of the portions. This requires a complex conversion of the apparatus involving considerable cost, particularly due to loss of production capacity. For this reason it is not possible to portion portions of different sizes in a flexible manner. The need herefor is however becoming ever greater.